4 days after being shut out at home, Raiders score 42 points in first half vs Chargers
How did we get here? The Raiders came into their Thursday Night game fresh off a shut out at home last week to the Vikings. A game that ended wth a 3-0 Vikings win. In fact, the Raiders hadn’t scored a touchdown in six quarters, dating back to the second quarter against the Chiefs prior to their bye week.
And at the half, the Raiders were leading the Chargers 42-0.
The broke their scoreless and touchdown streak on their opening drive. Zamir White — who was replacing an injured Josh Jacobs — punched it in for his first career touchdown.
A strip sack by Malcolm Koonce got the Raiders the ball back at the LA 42-yard-line and the Raiders drove for a second touchdown on a deep ball from Aidan O’Connell to Tre Tucker.
Another fumble gave the Raiders the ball at the LA 31 and they again took advantage of it with a touchdown. This one on a diving 22-yard grab by Jakobi Meyers.
That gave them 21 points and it was just 12 minutes into the game. That is more points than they had scored in the previous 11 quarters combined.
From there, we had four straight punts — two from each team. But that final punt from AJ Cole was punched out on the return by DJ Turner to give the Raiders the ball at the LA 14-yard-line. Two plays later, Michael Mayer was wide open for an easy touchdown to make it a 28-0 lead.
At this point, the Raiders offense had their highest scoring game of the season. Prior to this, the Raiders offense had only scored over 20 points once. That was when they scored 23 points against the Giants in Antonio Pierce’s first game as interim head coach.
The Chargers would drive to the Vegas 35-yard-line on their next possession, but the Raiders defense stood them up and they turned it over on downs.
Then the Raiders drove for a fifth touchdown. This one with O’Connell lining up wide left and Brandon Bolden taking the direct snap and running 26 yards for the score. The Chargers had clearly just given up.
The 35 points was the most the Raiders team had scored all season, topping the 30 points they scored against the Giants.
And just to pour it on, the Raiders added one more touchdown just before the half to make it a 42-0 game, with O’Connell and Tre Tucker connecting for their second TD of the game.
Jakobi Meyers hauled in a ridiculous touchdown catch, and Patriots Twitter is losing its mind.
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jakobi Meyers continues to make the New England Patriots regret letting him walk in free agency.
On Thursday night, he hauled in a ridiculous diving touchdown reception on a 3rd-and-2 from Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell. The touchdown put the Raiders up 14-0 on the Chargers in a primetime game.
Meyers signed with New England as an undrafted rookie back in 2019. He worked his way up from a roster bubble player to the team’s No. 1 receiving target. There was obviously a lot of disappointment when the Patriots didn’t value him like the Raiders did at the negotiating table. They let one of their best homegrown talents slip away.
Patriots Twitter was once again riled up after the highlight reel touchdown considering coach Bill Belichick essentially signed JuJu Smith-Schuster for the same base deal the Raiders offered Meyers.
So far, the Raiders have been major winners over the Patriots in that decision. Here are some of the best reactions on social media:
Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.
SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks
Pass-Rush
TD
 Josh Allen
 339-81
4
 Jalen Hurts
200-65
5
 Dak Prescott
331-10
4
 C.J. Stroud
304-47
3
 Jordan Love
268-39
3
Running Backs
Rush Rcv
TD
Kyren Williams
16-143
6-61
2
Christian McCaffrey
19-114
5-25
2
Bijan Robinson
16-91
3-32
2
Isiah Pacheco
15-55
5-34
2
Josh Jacobs
20-110
4-15
1
Wide Receivers
Yards
TD
Tyreek Hill
9-102
1
Mike Evans
6-70
2
Rashee Rice
8-107
1
DeVonta Smith
7-106
1
Keenan Allen
14-106
0
Tight Ends
Yards
TD
Pat Freiermuth
9-120
0
Tyler Higbee
5-29
2
Sam LaPorta
5-47
1
Travis Kelce
6-91
0
Gerald Everett
4-43
1
Placekickers
XP
FG
Blake Grupe
0
5
Brandon McManus
1
3
Tyler Bass
4
2
Jason Sanders
4
2
Chris Boswell
1
3
Defense
Sack – TO
TD
Miami
7-2
1
San Francisco
6-2
0
Dallas
4-1
1
Baltimore
3-4
0
Green Bay
3-3
1
Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts
QB D. Thompson-Robinson – Head
QB Baker Mayfield – Ankle
WR Laviska Shenault – Ankle
WR Demario Douglas – Head
WR Rashid Shaheed – Thigh
WR Amari Cooper – Rib
WR Chris Olave – Concussion
Chasing Ambulances
QB D. Thompson-Robinson – Got blasted by a defender and left the field with a bloody lip. Was diagnosed with a concussion. So the Browns will either revert to P.J. Walker as they did in the game, or they promote Joe Flacco from the practice squad. The Browns play at the Jaguars this week.
QB Baker Mayfield – He injured his ankle and looked significant at first, but he later returned to the game. Kyle Trask replaced him in the game for a few plays. He should be good for the Panthers this week.
WR Demario Douglas – He’s been the only Patriot wideout with a shred of fantasy value and he was clotheslined on a punt return though no penalty was called. He’s believed to have a concussion but more should be known by Wednesday at the latest.
WR Rashid Shaheed – Thigh WR Chris Olave – Concussion The Saints’ receivers are in bad shape. Olave hit the ground hard on an attempted catch and was ruled out with a concussion. Shaheed injured his thigh and did not return to the game. Michael Thomas is already on IR. The Saints host the Lions this week and may have little more than A.T. Perry, Keith Kirkwood, and Taysom Hill for receivers.
WR Amari Cooper – He had his arms outstretched for a pass when a Denver defender delivered a crushing shot to his ribs. He was immediately ruled out though his X-rays were negative. The rookie Cedric Tillman was the top wideout with four catches for 55 yards. The Browns play at the Rams this week but it isn’t even certain who the quarterback will be. If Cooper misses time, assumedly Elijah Moore would see more targets but there have been no fantasy-relevant wideouts in Cleveland other than Cooper.Â
Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables
QB Jake Browning –Â The replacement for Joe Burrow threw for 227 yards and a touchdown with one interception against the Steelers. He connected with Ja’Marr Chase for 81 yards on four receptions but had no success with the rest of the receivers. The Steelers were also able to hold Joe Mixon to only eight carries for 16 yards, so the absence of Burrow is going to impact both the rushing and receiving.
WR Calvin Ridley – After disappearing for much of the season, Ridley scored on his five catches for 89 yards in the win over the Texans for his second straight game with high yardage and a touchdown. And the last two weeks have been the best performances for Trevor Lawrence.
RB Rachaad White – He popped up on the injury report on Friday as questionable with a thigh injury. Apparently, the pain motivated him because he rushed for a season-high 100 yards and caught two short passes in the loss to the Colts.
RB Rhamondre Stevenson/Ezekiel Elliott – The Pats may not win again this season, as shocking as that seems. They used both Matt Jones and Bailey Zappe in a race to who could throw the most interceptions (Jones won), but the rushing offense wasn’t a disaster. Stevenson (21-98, TD) and Elliott (9-46) were the only part of the offense that scored or gained much yardage. This week they play the Chargers which should benefit them again.
QB Tommy DeVito – He won his last two games and threw for 246 yards and three scores in Week 11. On Sunday, he passed for 191 yards and a touchdown. He also did what was thought impossible when he completed five passes to the rookie Jalin Hyatt, who gained 109 yards – the only 100-yard game by a Giants’ receiver this year.
WR Rashee Rice – The Chiefs desperately need a receiver not currently dating Taylor Swift to make a difference and Patrick Mahomes has already thrown passes to 12 wideouts. Rice has been the most consistent so far, logging around 50 yards and scoring in every other game. Versus the Raiders, he caught a season-best eight passes for 107 yards and a touchdown – the first 100-yard game by a wide receiver. Justin Watson scored for the last two weeks but with minimal yardage. Week 12 was the first time it looked like the Chiefs had an actual No. 1 wideout.
WR Jakobi Meyers – While Aiden O’Connell has continued to throw to Davante Adams, he had failed to connect with Meyers for more than a few catches and minimal yardage. Against a very tough Chiefs secondary, Meyers led the Raiders with six catches for 79 yards and a score. That bodes well for when they return from their Week 13 bye to face the weak defenses of the Vikings and Chargers.
TE Pat Freiermuth – He returned from the back injury in Week 11 after spending six weeks on injured reserve but only caught one pass for seven yards at the Browns. Playing for the first time without OC Matt Canada, Freiermuth posted a career-high nine catches for 120 yards in the win over the Bengals. He only had 13 receptions on the year entering Sunday. The Bengals are weak against the position, but Freiermuth had double the production of any other receiver.
RB Keaton Mitchell – He led the Ravens in rushing with nine carries for 64 yards, plus caught both targets for 25 more yards. The Ravens are committed to their committee backfield, but Mitchell is still generating fantasy points even with the 11-touch workload. That was one more carry than Gus Edwards and three more than Justice Hill.
Huddle player of the week
Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
RB Kyren Williams –  He spent time on injured reserve with an ankle injury and the Rams said they would have him on a snap count in his first game back. That limitation ended up as 16 carries for 143 yards, plus six receptions for 61 yards with two touchdowns as the No. 1 running back for Week 12. Royce Freeman also ran for 77 yards and a score on 13 carries, so they didn’t give him a “full” workload, just one that helped his fantasy owners win their game – if they ignored what the Rams coaches said before the game.
Salute!
Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry
Watch: Raiders score on opening drive, go up 7-0 in first quarter vs Chiefs
The Raiders knew coming in that they would need to score early and often if they hoped to upset the Chiefs. And they are off to a good start in that objective.
Their opening drive went for a touchdown. The drive featured a 33-yard completion to Davante Adams and was capped off with an 18-yard pass to Jakobi Meyers who too it to paydirt.
From there, the Raiders defense stopped the Chiefs for a three-and-out. Then the Raiders offense went on another drive, but the drive stalled in the red zone and Daniel Carlson missed the field goal from 30 yards out.
The first quarter would end with the Raiders up 7-0 over the Chiefs. The Raiders had seven first downs while the Chiefs had none. The Raiders had 144 net yards while the Chiefs had one.
The Chiefs won’t be held down forever and presumably the Raiders offense won’t be this good all day. But it’s a great start to be certain.
Check out these starts and sits for fantasy football in Week 10.
After plodding through a rough Thursday night matchup, fantasy football managers now focus their attention on the crucial start and sit decisions for the Week 10 slate of games.
Doing start/sit articles can be a little challenging. The players featured on the list below should not be taken as “must starts” or “must sits.” Instead, these are more suggestions on what we believe managers should do with fringe players heading into the weekend. The choice is ultimately up to the manager.
Just because a player is listed as a “start” doesn’t mean he should be put in the lineup over the secure, bona fide studs. Vice versa for the “sits.” If there’s no better option on the waiver wire or the bench, a manager shouldn’t automatically sit the player. That’s why these can be tricky waters to navigate.
Watch: Jakobi Meyers runs for TD on opening drive of Antonio Pierce era
The Antonio Pierce era is off to a great start. After the Raiders’ defense stopped the Giants for a three-and-out, they drove 67 yards in six plays for an opening drive touchdown.
The biggest plays on the drive both went to Jakobi Meyers. The first was a 24-yard catch and run on a quick slant. That put the Raiders at the 25-yard-line. From there, Josh Jacobs ran out right for eight yards and then Meyers took the ball on the sweep for a 17-yard touchdown run.
A 25-yard reception and then this 17-yard rushing TD.
Last week the Raiders fired head coach Josh McDaniels along with offensive. coordinator Mick Lombardi and benched QB Jimmy Garoppolo. The supposed offensive guru head coach presided over the second worst offense in the league.
Replacing McDaniels and Lombardi are linebackers coach Antonio Pierce and QB coach Bo Hardegree. Replacing Positive results on the first drive. Now we see if it can continue for the rest of this game and beyond.
5 Raiders offensive players on pace for career-low seasons
We are eight games into the 2023 season. Once upon a time, this would have been the halfway mark, giving us a strong sample size as to what pace each player is on.
When you look at the numbers for some of the Raiders players on offense, you can see why the team moved on from their supposed offensive guru head coach Josh McDaniels.
Raiders WR Jakobi Meyers proving to be steal of the offseason
During the 2023 offseason, the Raiders made it a point to get a competent No. 2 receiver opposite of Davante Adams. Mack Hollins was fine last season, but he just wasn’t consistent enough and didn’t fit the scheme particularly well.
That is why the Raiders spent up for Jakobi Meyers, who was widely viewed as the top receiver on the market. And through seven weeks, that already looks like a steal.
In a recent article by Aaron Schatz of ESPN, he wrote about the best bargains of the 2023 offseason and the players that are helping their new teams the most. That list included Meyers, who is off to a fantastic start with the Raiders. Here is a snippet of what he had to say about the veteran receiver for Las Vegas:
Meyers has 37 catches for 385 yards and five touchdowns through six games. He has a very average DVOA this season, in part because of opponent adjustments for an easy Raiders schedule of opposing pass defenses.
But he has been superb according to ESPN’s Receiver Tracking Metrics, where Meyers currently ranks 17th overall among wide receivers and 11th in open score.
Meyers has been everything the Raiders could have ever wanted from their No. 2 receiver. He’s been reliable, clutch, and he gets open. Now, the Raiders just need to find a quarterback (and maybe a play-caller) who can help the offense move the ball more consistently. The Raiders have the weapons to be great on offense, but that just hasn’t happened yet.
Ballers & Busters for Raiders Week 7 loss to Bears
One of the tougher tasks I have occasionally had in the 16 years I’ve been doing this series is finding anything positive in a seemingly complete collapse. This was one of those times.
The hapless Bears jumped to a 14-0 lead in this game and never looked back. The Raiders couldn’t stop the Chicago offense led by undrafted rookie QB Tyson Bagent. Mostly because they couldn’t stop the ground game and found themselves on their heels all game long.
It was so bad that even the final score didn’t accurately reflect the disparity. The final six points was a garbage time score after they were down 30-6. And honestly we all knew once the Raiders went down 21-3 in the third quarter, that was the clincher. After all, the Raiders offense hadn’t broken the 20-point barrier all season, and they were clearly not going to do it on this day.
But, as we typically do, let’s start with the glimmer of good before we go to the myriad of bad.
Ballers
DE Maxx Crosby
The best all-around edge rusher in the NFL is often the exception for the Raiders. Nearly every week he is not just a Baller, but the Top Baller. Even if that isn’t all that difficult to do on this team.
The defense didn’t hold up well most of the game, but every time they did, Crosby was the reason why.
The day began on a high note. The Bears won the toss and made the rare decision to start on offense. Then the Raiders forced a three-and-out, which immediately put them at an advantage. That advantage was created because on second down, Crosby got pressure to set up Bilal Nichols to make a tackle for loss and the Bears couldn’t dig out of it.
Down 7-0 to begin the second quarter, the Bears began driving again, picking up a couple first downs. Then Crosby burst into the backfield, forcing a holding penalty on his man and the Bears once again could not overcome it and punted.
Down 14-3 late in the second quarter, the Bears were threatening again. They moved into Vegas territory at the 47 and would get no further. Crosby flew in for the sack to put them back in their own territory with seconds left and that ended that.
That was as close as the Raiders would get. Still within two scores. Unfortunately Crosby can’t do it all by himself and the Bears were able to extend their lead, while the offense not only couldn’t close the gap, but actually made it worse with a late pick-six to turn this one into a laugher.
WR Jakobi Meyers
The Raiders had three scoring drives in the game. The first one featured a heavy dose of Meyers. He caught four consecutive passes for a combined 34 yards to put the Raiders in scoring range.
The second scoring drive featured a catch my Meyers to convert on third-and-three and a four-yard catch on second-and-goal from the ten.
He would later catch the Raiders only touchdown in the game. Even if it was a meaningless one in garbage time.
